Hakuouki ~The Floating World~ (Fem!Reader x Harem) [ENG]

Chapter 9: Okurimono

The treetops were calmly swaying on the wind when you marched through the dense forest, accompanied by the two of Shinsengumi members. It wasn't like you had any choice; the ties on your hands and Saito's inflexibility didn't let you do much. On top of that, you ran out of ideas. Well, the ones that actually had any chance to work out at least. Even if you were to somehow get out of these binds, what could you possibly do? Maybe get the lighter and burn all the forest down? What a joke. Okay, maybe it could be a perfect way to surprise and stun them for a moment... But would be later? That lake gate didn't seem to be working. You made a clown of yourself and you couldn't really find any excuse to explain yourself. Now you probably looked to them like a typical escapee with a death wish because whom else.

You sighed silently, your eyes following your every footstep. You didn't dare lift your gaze even for a moment. Was it really going to end up like this? So many years of fighting and clinging to your dear life... It was like all of your efforts didn't matter, as if they were doomed from the beginning to go to waste.

The more you walked, the more you regretted not spending your life in a better way. It was just a constant fight to you; sometimes about stopping your beloved ones from leaving, sometimes about making ends meet. You didn't have any moment to relax or properly enjoy small sparks of happiness. Recently, you've been led by nothing but an endless regret which, especially now, was reaching its final form. Even when, just a few minutes ago, you had a chance to die with an honor, it was ruthlessly taken from you. You were chagrined that, instead of crossing the great divide in silence and peace, you had to lump along to Shinsengumi's headquarters and then wait for your execution. It was obvious that this "righteous" judgement of theirs was not going to work out for you. Even if you said the truth, who in the world would believe you?

You scrunched your eyebrows. Your incisors were unconsciously chewing on your lower lip. What did you do to deserve something like this? Was there really, really no chance for a honorable death for you? The question kept on haunting you for all your way back to Shinsengumi's home.

***

Striding through the visibly frequently attended path you'd just treaded before, you could recognize a shape of a familiar household from afar. And that meant you were approaching your doom so, needless to say, you weren't delighted to see it. For a second, just a single one moment, you hoped for Harada and Saito to change their mind in the middle of the walk and try to save you; maybe even let you go. But you were dumb to think so. The shorter one followed orders without hesitation, while the taller one wasn't going to deceive the rest of the group despite his frivolous nature. You wanted to sigh dramatically. They never failed to impress you. Well, if such virtues occurred more commonly in your world, maybe you wouldn't be here attending your own execution now? It was both a consoling and a sad thought reminding you of your grudge towards your loved ones.